We had a great time last week visiting the Academy of Sciences, learning all about earthquakes, tectonic plates, the layers of the Earth and fossils. You also did a great job creating detailed and specific procedures for the Timer Muffling Experiment. Apparently, wrapping 39 shirts and 3 coats around a timer is the best way to silence the ticking. This week we begin to apply all the things we have learned about the scientific method. We start preparations for the Science Fair, carefully choosing testable questions and planning our experiments.
Inquiry
Thinking Like Scientists – Preparing for the Science Fair:
The Science Fair is three weeks away (November 15th), and this week we begin to plan for our projects. We will work together to come up with testable questions that can be tackled in two weeks. Our homework this week will support you as you develop your Science Fair project.
Key words: testable question, hypothesis, prediction, procedure, steps, and materials.
Math
Place Value – Abacuses and Rounding:
This week we seek to finish our unit on place value. We will build abacuses to reinforce the concept of base ten, and trading up into higher places. There are only 10 digits in the base ten system 0-9, yet we miraculously can represent any number of any size using only those 10 digits. Finally, we will also work on our rounding skills, rounding to the thousands, hundreds and tens place.
Key words: abacus, place value (the idea that the place a digit is in determines its value), rounding
Reading
Story Elements:
Looking at shorter, quality texts, we will examine what elements make a good story. We will work together to create a rubric, which we can use to plan for and assess the stories we will write in the future.
Key words: character, setting, plot, beginning, middle, end, and element
Writing
Story Elements:
In connection with our work in reading, we will use the story element rubric to help guide our own writing. We will create a game to help us develop Halloween stories with all the important elements of a story.
Key words: character, setting, plot, beginning, middle, end, and element
CURRENT EVENTS (in reversed alphabetical order).
Second graders will start presenting in one more week. Start looking for news!
11/6 Tuesday – Zara
11/7 Wednesday – Yasmeen
11/8 Thursday – Noah
11/9 Friday – Max
11/13 Tuesday – Luci
11/14 Wednesday – Isa
3/15 Thursday – Jaden
3/16 Friday – Enzio
11/27 Tuesday – Ellora
11/28 Wednesday – Dylan
11/29 Thursday – Ben
11/30 Friday – Amiya
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Sharing: - NOTE: This is your LAST round of sharing – make it count!
Monday – Isa (Enzio and Amiya are optional)
Tuesday - Ben
Wednesday - Dylan
Thursday - Luci
Friday -Max
Halloween:
This Wednesday, October 31st Alta Vista hosts its third annual costume parade. You should bring your costume to school (do NOT wear it). We will change into our costumes at 2:30 and take a walk around the block to show off our costumes. The costume parade will be followed by a Harvest Festival, where we will make apple cider and play games.
Inquiry
Thinking Like Scientists – Preparing for the Science Fair:
The Science Fair is three weeks away (November 15th), and this week we begin to plan for our projects. We will work together to come up with testable questions that can be tackled in two weeks. Our homework this week will support you as you develop your Science Fair project.
Key words: testable question, hypothesis, prediction, procedure, steps, and materials.
Math
Place Value – Abacuses and Rounding:
This week we seek to finish our unit on place value. We will build abacuses to reinforce the concept of base ten, and trading up into higher places. There are only 10 digits in the base ten system 0-9, yet we miraculously can represent any number of any size using only those 10 digits. Finally, we will also work on our rounding skills, rounding to the thousands, hundreds and tens place.
Key words: abacus, place value (the idea that the place a digit is in determines its value), rounding
Reading
Story Elements:
Looking at shorter, quality texts, we will examine what elements make a good story. We will work together to create a rubric, which we can use to plan for and assess the stories we will write in the future.
Key words: character, setting, plot, beginning, middle, end, and element
Writing
Story Elements:
In connection with our work in reading, we will use the story element rubric to help guide our own writing. We will create a game to help us develop Halloween stories with all the important elements of a story.
Key words: character, setting, plot, beginning, middle, end, and element
CURRENT EVENTS (in reversed alphabetical order).
Second graders will start presenting in one more week. Start looking for news!
11/6 Tuesday – Zara
11/7 Wednesday – Yasmeen
11/8 Thursday – Noah
11/9 Friday – Max
11/13 Tuesday – Luci
11/14 Wednesday – Isa
3/15 Thursday – Jaden
3/16 Friday – Enzio
11/27 Tuesday – Ellora
11/28 Wednesday – Dylan
11/29 Thursday – Ben
11/30 Friday – Amiya
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Sharing: - NOTE: This is your LAST round of sharing – make it count!
Monday – Isa (Enzio and Amiya are optional)
Tuesday - Ben
Wednesday - Dylan
Thursday - Luci
Friday -Max
Halloween:
This Wednesday, October 31st Alta Vista hosts its third annual costume parade. You should bring your costume to school (do NOT wear it). We will change into our costumes at 2:30 and take a walk around the block to show off our costumes. The costume parade will be followed by a Harvest Festival, where we will make apple cider and play games.